10 RESIDENTS HAVE EYES ON COUNCIL SEATS; CITY EXTENDS DEADLINE TO FILE PAPERS FOR THREE OPEN POSITIONS.

Byline: Teresa Jimenez Daily News Staff Writer

Ten people have officially joined the race for April's City Council election. However, the initial deadline to file, Friday, was pushed back because two incumbents - Carl Boyer and Clyde Smyth - are not seeking re-election.

Candidates now have until Wednesday to enter the race for the three open seats.

Two new names were added to the list Friday: Ed Stevens and Chuck Simons.

Stevens, 72, ran for the first City Council 10 years ago. He said he decided to run again because he felt seniors needed representation and because he wants to curtail growth.

``I thought I'd give it one last hurrah,'' Stevens said. ``Growth is out of control. I'm not primitive, but we had a beautiful environment 10 years ago.''

Stevens is a widower and has four grown daughters. He has worked in Santa Clarita for 30 years and lived here for 12 years.

Many of those who filed had already announced their plans to run for one of the open seats on the five-member board.

Marsha McLean, 57, was first to announce her candidacy. McLean, an active Chamber of Commerce member and small-business owner along with her husband, said she has worked hard on issues affecting the city, including leading the battle to stop plans for a landfill at Elsmere Canyon.

McLean said her work for the city and its residents has taught her a lot about city operations. She said she would work closely with Los Angeles County officials to bring reasonable developments to the Santa Clarita Valley.

Councilwoman Jo Anne Darcy, 66, announced earlier this month that she would seek re-election. Darcy has served on the council since the city was formed 10 years ago. She said she decided to run again to assure stability on the council, which has not seen significant change since its beginning.

Darcy added that she would like to work on and complete some of the projects she has overseen for the city.

Kent Carlson, 37, announced his candidacy last month. Carlson, a three-year resident of the area and a city of Los Angeles employee, said he wants slower growth in Santa Clarita. As a newcomer, Carlson said he could offer a fresh approach to growth issues.

Laurene Weste, a longtime Santa Clarita activist, said a post on the City Council would be an extension of the work she already does for the community.

Weste, who ran unsuccessfully in 1996, has worked since the 1970s to bring a trail system to the Santa Clarita Valley and has served as a parks commissioner since the city's inception.

Weste, 49, said she would like to see quality growth that provides benefits such as parks and libraries for the community.

Frank Ferry, 32, is a teacher at Valencia High School and has been active in the educational community. Ferry ran unsuccessfully in 1996, but said he has gained support in the last two years from business and parent groups.

Ferry said he plans to focus on providing adequate roadways for the growing city and working with Los Angeles County to bring projects to the Santa Clarita Valley that are satisfactory to residents here.

Dave Ends, 45, a business consultant with his own company, has been active in the community for years, particularly with youth sports programs. He helped form Santa Clarita's Youth Sports Association, a nonprofit organization that represents local sports programs and their interests.

Ends said he would work with fellow council members to set goals and achieve a unified voice to benefit residents. He said he would push for managed growth and commended the present council for its work.

Cameron Smyth, 26, son of Councilman Smyth, said he decided to run because of a passion for politics and a genuine concern for Santa Clarita.

Smyth, a graduate of Hart High School, works as deputy chief of staff for state Sen. W.J. ``Pete'' Knight, R-Palmdale.

Smyth said he would work to create a balance in development to preserve the quality of life in Santa Clarita while keeping a positive business atmosphere.

Ryan Krell, 19, also a graduate of Hart High and a student at College of the Canyons, said he plans to represent youth interests. Krell said he hopes that the youth representation on the list of candidates will encourage young people to go to the polls in April.

Two other residents have announced their intention to run but had not filed their election papers by Friday. They are: Mark Clark, 23, a local warehouse employee who recently served in the U.S. Air Force; and Mike Egan, 18, a Valencia High School senior who has been active in several city and school organizations.